Winsted-Lester Prairie Journal, Dec. 20, 1999

Winsted Lake linked to comprehensive plan

The Winsted Lake Watershed Association appeared before
the Winsted Planning Commission to add Winsted Lake to the goals and objectives
section of the city's comprehensive plan last Monday.

Gene Hausladen, president of the lake association, said
the lake's condition is important to to the future growth of the city.

He noted the lake currently has 13 times the recommended
level of phosphorous. As a result, the lake takes on a green color, and
Hausladen said he has gotten calls from two new lakeshore homeowners who
are disappointed with the lake's condition.

Hausladen said the watershed area is still the primary
consideration as a pollutant. But he also noted the city's contribution
to the lake's pollution and said he would like to see it addressed in the
future.

Sequestration, a process by which iron ferrite is injected
into the lake to naturally neutralize the phosphorous, has been done on
Trillium Lake in Hackensack for eight years and has improved the clarity
of water by 80 percent.

However, Hausladen noted that watershed pollutants need
to be taken care of before the sequestration can be implemented.

As such, he requested that an objective should be added
to the comprehensive plan to address the issue.

One of the proposals discussed was establishing the lake
association as a direct advisor to the city on any concerns regarding Winsted
Lake.

Also, it was discussed that the association should meet
with the planning commission on a yearly basis.

Due to concern over a county ditch that drains into Winsted
Lake, Hausladen said the McLeod County commissioners also need to be included
in any discussions.

He noted that the worst area of draining is located in
McLeod Co. from five farms that the ditch runs through.

The lake association has been trying to get grass strips
placed along sections of the ditch in the county. Currently, a subsidy program
is available for those strips. It was suggested that the grass strips be
added as a goal to the comprehensive plan.

Hausladen maintained that the county has not been cooperative
in this matter, calling it "anti-environmental."

Hausladen also said he did not want to be the farmers'
enemy and would rather work with them to solve the problem.

Council Member Gary Lenz observed that the problems with
the lake are not just due to the ditch, but that the city had culpability
in some of the pollution, as well.

Lenz, who is also a member of the lake association, said
the city contributes pollution from street run-off and direct storm sewer
drainage into the lake.

Matt Johnson, from the Mid-Minnesota Development Commission,
told Hausladen that his suggestion would be taken into consideration. He
noted that in the process of adding to the comprehensive plan, every single
issue brought up gets addressed.

The goals and objectives section is a compilation of 11
broad goal areas set out by the Community Based Planning Act.

The process of editing them is to refine them for the use
of the city of Winsted. The community's input is welcomed in the editing
process.

Johnson described the act as covering areas which the state
felt cities had missed in planning and ended up harming them in the long
run.